Improved Agriculture 'll Reduce 5bn Tons Of CO2 Annually- Willson

Improved Agriculture 'll Reduce 5bn Tons Of CO2 Annually- Willson 

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja

                    Willson 

The executive director of Energy Institute at Colorado State University (CSU) Dr. Bryan Willson has revealed that improved agricultural practices could reduce over five billion tons of Carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, which is 10 percent of the global CO2 emissions since the topmost part of the earth's soil contains three times as much carbon as the world’s atmosphere. 

He stated this over the weekend while briefing newsmen in Colorado at the just concluded Virtual Reporting Tour (VRT) on "Combatting the Climate Crisis Through US Innovation", organised by Washington Foreign Press Centre (FPC), an arm of the US Department of State in collaboration with Meridian International Center. 

Willson said that CSU is a land grant institution with strong agricultural heritage and its scientists understand the amount of carbon uptake by soil, a situation that led to the establishment of Soil Carbon Solutions Center (SCSC).

The energy expert hinted that the major goal of SCSC is on accelerating agricultural practices to draw CO2 from the air, store it in the soil for a longer period and improve the texture of the soil. 

He stated that the institute serves as an industrial assessment center for  undergraduates and graduating students that were posted to various Small and Medium Businesses (SMEs) to assist in reducing energy use and carbon footprint.

In his presentation titled, "Research and Innovation in Energy: The Work Continues", he said the institute is working assiduously to address global issues such as  poverty, access to energy, environmental degradation, climate change, and justice, equity and diversity that could be impacted by technology. 

The professor of Mechanical Engineering hinted that the institute had carried out research on combustion sources and large industrial engines, targeted at developing technological solutions to reduce emissions from large sources.

He stated that every engine on the US natural gas pipeline system currently uses technology that was created by the institute, which reduces NOx emissions and oxides of nitrogen, the same amount as removing about 150 million automobiles from the highway.

Willson, who was formerly the program director at the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) said the institute specialises on large industrial engines that is used to drive heavy machinery, big mining equipment, marine applications, or for power generation throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

This is even as he indicated that the institute is in active partnership with companies like Caterpillar, Cummins and John Deere for the implementation of research works on energy solutions.